In her first State of the University Address, Student Body President Schuyler Houser discussed plans to develop a campus internship program for students to get on-the-job experience.
“I will graduate in May as an industrial engineer without ever having seen a factory floor or analyzed real flow data,” Houser said. “I hope that we can discover new ways of merging student service departments and academic life to provide students with on-campus opportunities for experiential education.”
Houser said the program is still in the preliminary stages and will start on a small scale with class projects, seminars and independent study courses.
Houser also reinforced the need for continuing communication between the student body, student leaders and administrators.
“I have an optimistic goal of speaking to at least 30,000 students before this year is over,” Houser said. “This increased communication with students will hopefully allow us to better represent student opinion, share important news of University business and engage students in the decision making processes of Texas A&M.”
This semester, the Student Government Association (SGA) will begin surveying students about their thoughts on Vision 2020.
“This will engage students now in what will hopefully become lasting improvements in campus life,” Houser said.
SGA representatives will turn the results of the survey into a report to be presented to University administrators in April of 2002.
Houser also spoke of All-U League, a program that organizes activities and competitions between residence halls, Greek Life, off campus students, and the Corp of Cadets and the creation of a new freshman leadership program, Guide, which will pair freshmen with upperclassmen mentors.
“I have already witnessed some of the great changes in attitude that happen when you simply provide a means for interaction, and I am optimistic about the resolution of conflict that has arisen in the past,” Houser said.
Jack Long, speaker of the student senate and a senior political science major, introduced Houser and encouraged students to take part in leadership roles both on-campus and off.
“It’s important for students to be aware of the numerous organizations that are being created and run for them,” Long said.